Temporary Denial Order Issued for Re-Export of U.S. Aircraft to Iran

TEMPORARY DENIAL ORDER ISSUED FOR RE-EXPORT OF U.S. AIRCRAFT TO IRAN

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) today issued a Temporary Denial Order (TDO) suspending the export privileges of Sayegh Group Aviation, Aban Air, Sam Air Corporation Limited, Aviation Legacy (Gambia) Limited, Abdullah Khaled Ramadan, Ali Mahdavi and Mahmoud Khali Hamze for 180 days. Everex Global Cargo and Courier was named to the TDO as a related person to Aban Air and Ali Mahdavi.

The matter involves three U.S.-origin Boeing 747 aircraft acquired through a series of related transactions involving Iranian, United Arab Emirate, and Gambian airline/aviation companies. One of the aircraft currently is located in Iran under lease to Aban Air and was reexported to Iran without the required USG authorization.

BACKGROUND

Temporary Denial Orders are issued by the Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement, denying any or (typically) all of the export privileges of a company or individual to prevent an imminent or on-going export control violation. These orders are issued for a renewable 180-day period and cut off not only the right to export from the United States, but also the right to receive or participate in exports from the United States.

BIS controls exports and re-exports of dual-use commodities, technology and software for reasons of national security, missile technology, nuclear non-proliferation, chemical and biological non-proliferation, crime control and regional stability. Criminal and administrative sanctions can be imposed for violations of the Export Administration Regulations. For more information, please visit www.bis.doc.gov.